It was a tale of more qualifying woe for Lewis Hamilton, and Mercedes chief Toto Wolff is at a loss to explain the champion’s ill fortune.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff hopes the team can make changes to Lewis Hamilton’s car without incurring any grid penalties for Sunday’s Russian Grand Prix.
A power failure at the Chinese GP last time out meant Hamilton had to start last on the grid, the double defending champion working his way back through the field to eventually finish seventh.
In qualifying in Sochi on Saturday, Hamilton experienced similar troubles and qualified 10th while team-mate Nico Rosberg – winner of all three races so far in 2016 – secured pole.
The German looks well placed to extend his 36-point standings lead over Hamilton, and Wolff was sympathetic to the Briton’s plight while hoping Mercedes could make some alterations without seeing the champion drop further down the grid.
“I hope there is no penalty for Lewis. But we need to discuss with the FIA what we want to do and make it without a penalt, “he said.
“It’s a very bizarre situation. It seems like the same failure as in Shanghai, which means we have to reassess the route course of the failure. Its motor racing and it can happen.
“He seems to have all the bad luck and the other side of the garage has all the luck.
“It’s getting tough for Lewis now and I have no doubt he will come out of it. But he has every right to be upset.”
